act28side

Sure, you can look back every now and then, but don't you ever regret it.

Helena...

Care for a dance, Woody? I can teach you.

When I was eighteen, some awkward fella taught me these steps. He was a complete fool, through-and-through, but that didn't stop me from loving the dance.

Actually, I already know how to dance...

Oh? How come I never knew that? Since when?

...Since I was little. And of course you didn't know. I never told you.

Where'd you learn?

...On my way back to the dorms.

Wanna give it a go, then?

...It'd be my pleasure, ma'am.

Why didn't you just walk away when you got the order to vacate them?

When you're disobeying orders, might as well go all the way.

Tch... What a drama queen. Even the squads that showed up later could tell you were staying behind to make sure it didn't get out of hand.

So how's your forehead doing? Didn't expect our own people to wear kiddie gloves with the crowd but show no mercy to their coworkers.

I'm fine, just a scratch.

And at the end of the day, we were the first to disobey orders... I didn't know what to do at that point either, so I just went back to the basics. Made sure that nobody got hurt.

Well, you did a damn good job, Teacher's Pet.

By the way, there's something I've been meaning to tell you all day, but never got the chance...

Hm?

Happy New Year.

Let me check... Sorry, but it's already past midnight.

Eh, so what?

I suppose it's not important. Maybe it just sucks that... I wasn't the one to say it first.

Happy New Year.

The heavy iron door shuts tightly, and the mechanism springs into place with the sound of a dull collision, sealing off the smell of ink coming from within.

An intoxicating smell.

With just one whiff, people will start having wondrous delusions. All their desires can be at their fingertips, and all their regrets can be made right.

What... do you really want?

And what... do you regret?

...Sylvia.

Top of your class again? ...Golly, how did someone like me give birth to a kid as smart as you? I couldn't be more proud of you, Sylvie.

Are you serious, Sylvie? That's the best financial institution in all of Columbia... Goodness gracious, I can't believe my daughter actually made it! I'm so, so proud of you, I really can't say it enough!

Sylvie, are you sure you want to work in a bank back home? You know... I don't want my position to get in the way of what <i>you</i> want, especially with a decision as important as this one.

...I'm so proud of you, my daughter.

*cough* *cough*... *cough* *cough*... Go, Sylvie. You can always find another job... I... I'll be fine...

No matter... No matter what you do... Your mom... will always be proud of you.

Even... when I'm no longer here...

You're my pride and joy... forever and always...

Mom...

I.... I hope... you'll always be proud of me.

It is a magical smell that can even twist the threads of time.

Within it, a tiny infant picks up a kite that will not take flight for decades, and a sickly old man sees the honeyed candy he longed for when he was three.

Nobody can resist its temptation.